2021-2022 The Office of Institutional Research and Registrar Services - Amherst ...
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AMHERST COLLEGE 2021–2022 Academic Policies and Procedures The Office of Institutional Research and Registrar Services
Academic Policies and Procedures
Contents
Grading Policies .............................................................................................. - 2 -
Midterm Grades...................................................................................................... - 2 -
Final Grades ............................................................................................................ - 2 -
Completion of Work and Policy on Extensions ....................................................... - 3 -
Pass-Fail (P/F) Grading Option ................................................................................ - 4 -
Change-of-Grade Process ....................................................................................... - 5 -
Roster Management ........................................................................................ - 6 -
Managing Course Enrollment ................................................................................. - 6 -
Course Rosters in AC Data and Moodle .................................................................. - 6 -
Course Registration ........................................................................................ - 7 -
Registration Requirements for Students ................................................................ - 8 -
Half Courses ............................................................................................................ - 8 -
Course Overload ..................................................................................................... - 9 -
Reduced Course Load ............................................................................................. - 9 -
Five-College Registration ...................................................................................... - 10 -
Course Withdrawal ............................................................................................... - 10 -
Degree Requirements ................................................................................... - 11 -
Major Declaration ................................................................................................. - 11 -
Major Requirements ............................................................................................. - 12 -
Interdisciplinary Majors ........................................................................................ - 12 -
Comprehensive Exams .......................................................................................... - 12 -
Degree with Honors .............................................................................................. - 13 -
Participation in Commencement Exercises .......................................................... - 14 -
-1-T
his document includes an overview of academic policies and procedures for
faculty and staff at Amherst College. More detailed information related to
policies in this document are found in the Amherst College Catalog and Faculty
Handbook. Academic calendar dates are available on the college website,
including important dates and deadlines.
Important Links:
• Amherst College Catalog - https://www.amherst.edu/mm/473635
• Faculty Handbook - https://www.amherst.edu/mm/82602
• Student Code of Conduct - https://www.amherst.edu/mm/531270
• Academic calendar - https://www.amherst.edu/mm/74852
• List of faculty committees - https://www.amherst.edu/mm/80811
• Office of Accessibility Services- https://www.amherst.edu/mm/64992
• Registrar’s site - https://www.amherst.edu/academiclife/Registrar
Grading Policies
Grading deadlines are set by faculty policy. Midterm and final grading policies
are found in the Faculty Handbook and Amherst College Catalog. Directions
for how to submit grades as well as grading deadlines for the current academic
year are available on the website of the Office of the Registrar.
Midterm Grades
At the midterm of each semester, faculty should plan on entering midterm
grades for students who are on track to receive D or F letter grades in their
courses. This information is used by the Office of Student Affairs in order to
send warning letters and to support students throughout the rest of the semester.
Faculty are not required to enter midterm grades for students who are on track
to earn higher than a D letter grade, but they may choose to communicate
concern for the academic success of the student to the student and to the
student’s class dean. Faculty may also submit comments to the class dean via
AC Data.
Final Grades
Fall semester final grades are due by noon on the date published on the
registrar’s website. Spring semester final grades are due no later than 9:00 a.m.
on the Monday after the last day of exams for graduating seniors and all E class
students participating in commencement. All other final grades for students not
graduating are due on the Wednesday after the last day of exams.
-2-Completion of Work and Policy on Extensions
Examinations are held at the end of each semester and at intervals throughout
the semester in many courses. After final grades are reported, the record for the
semester is closed. In conformity with the practice established by the faculty,
no extension of deadline is allowed for papers, examinations, and laboratory or
other course work beyond the date of the last scheduled class period of the
semester, unless an extension is granted in writing by both the instructor and
the class dean. Students will not be allowed to register or participate in
add/drop for the subsequent term until all grades from their previous semester
are recorded by the registrar.
Final exams are scheduled after faculty notify the Office of the Registrar at the
beginning of each semester regarding the type and length of the exam (two or
three hours). A student who cannot attend a final examination may be granted
the privilege of a makeup examination by the instructor in consultation with the
class dean, who will arrange the date of the examination with the instructor. For
students needing accommodations for their exams, faculty may contact the
Office of Student Affairs to make arrangements for an exam proctor. A final
examination may be postponed only with the approval of the instructor and
class dean.
Extensions may be granted beyond the final examination period with approval
of the instructor and the class dean. In such cases, the instructor must submit a
request for extension to the Office of Student Affairs by the end-of-semester
grading deadline. The request shall indicate the extension deadline and default
grade, which the registrar records only if the instructor does not submit a final
grade by the extension deadline. The instructor should record the incomplete
and default grade information via AC Data.
Faculty should work with class deans on any extension that goes beyond the
last day of final examination period. This will assist class deans and the
registrar when following up with missing grades and students experiencing
medical or personal issues.
-3-Grades and GPA
In spring 2021, the faculty approved a new grading scale. The grade of A+ is
still assignable, but now has the same weight as an A for calculations of GPA
and class rank. The faculty has also adopted a 4.00 GPA system. The Office of
the Registrar will provide a numerical GPA to students or their advisor upon
request. The registrar will also verify students’ GPA for graduate school,
fellowship, or academic award applications.
Grades in courses are reported in three categories:
Passing Grades = A+, A, A–, B+, B, B–, C+, C, C–, D, P
Failing Grade = F
Incomplete Grades = I
Term averages and cumulative averages are reported on a 4.0-point scale
rounded to the nearer whole number letter grade. The conversion equivalents
are: A+ = 4.00, A = 4.00, A– = 3.67, B+ = 3.33, B = 3.00, B– = 2.67, C+ =
2.33, C = 2.00, C– = 1.67, D+ = 1.33, D = 1, D- = 0.67, F = 0. A
Pass does not affect a student’s average.
Pass-Fail (P/F) Grading Option
The aim of the pass-fail (P/F) option is to encourage students to take
intellectual risks, to explore the breadth of Amherst’s open curriculum, and to
reward students for engaging fully in all their courses. Under this option,
students may elect to declare one course per semester, and no more than four
courses over four years, to be taken pass-fail. A declaration of pass-fail requires
the permission of the student’s advisor(s) and must be made before the first day
of the exam period. If a student designates a course pass-fail, the student’s
transcript will have a “P” recorded in the case of passing grades (“D” or
higher). No grade-point equivalent will be assigned to a “P.” If the letter grade
assigned by the instructor is an “F,” an “F” will be recorded on the student’s
transcript and will count toward the student’s GPA and class rank. Once
students have declared a course pass-fail, they cannot later opt for the grade.
Students admitted as first-year students may elect the pass-fail option four
times during their Amherst College career. Transfer students admitted as
sophomores shall have three pass-fail options, and those admitted as juniors
shall have two.
Students may not take a first-year seminar pass-fail. Departments and programs
may decide not to accept courses taken on a pass-fail basis in fulfillment of
major requirements. Each department’s and program’s policy on accepting
pass-fail grades toward major requirements must be included in the Amherst
College Catalog and in other departmental and program materials.
-4-The FGO has been discontinued by the faculty. Any use of the flexible grading
option (FGO) in spring 2020 and one use of the FGO in each term of the 2020–
2021 academic year will not count toward the maximum number of pass-fails
allowed during a student’s time at the college. Pass-fails or FGOs used prior to
spring 2020, or in addition to the one allowed in each term of 2020–2021, will
count against each student’s allotted number of pass-fails, as defined above.
Change-of-Grade Process
The change-of-grade process begins with the instructor of the course. If the
student is not satisfied with the outcome determined by the instructor, the
student may appeal to the provost and dean of the faculty. (See Student Code of
Conduct-The Resolution of Student Grievances with a Member of the Faculty
at https://www.amherst.edu/mm/531267). If the instructor agrees to make a
grade change, the following steps should be followed:
• The instructor logs into AC Data and selects “Change of Grade
Request” from the menu.
• The instructor selects from a drop-down list of rosters (the list includes
only courses taught within one academic year).
• From the roster, the instructor selects the student and enters the new
requested grade.
• The reason for the change is entered in a comment field.
• Once the instructor clicks “submit,” a series of emails are sent to the
chief student affairs officer, the registrar, the associate registrar, and two
administrators in the Offices of the Chief Student Affairs Officer and
the Provost and Dean of the Faculty.
• Once the chief student affairs officer approves, an email is sent to the
provost and dean of the faculty for approval.
• Once the dean approves, the grade is changed by the Office of the
Registrar, and all parties above are notified.
If the chief student affairs officer and/or the provost have additional questions,
they may request more information from the instructor via the AC Data form. If
either party denies the request, the grade is not changed by the registrar, and all
parties are notified of the outcome.
-5-Roster Management
Managing Course Enrollment
Instructors who wish to manage their own course enrollments without
guaranteeing enrollment at the end of the second-round registration period must
convert their courses to “Instructor Permission” prior to Advising Week by
updating the course description through the Committee on Educational Policy,
specifying how enrollments will be prioritized. New courses are handled in a
similar fashion. Such conversions are recommended for reserving spaces for
first-year students in the fall semester, as well as for courses that require
additional evaluation by the instructor prior to enrollment. In addition, a new
option has been made available to reserve a certain number of seats for first-
year students in the fall semester. This feature can also be accessed by updating
the course description through the Committee on Educational Policy.
Course Rosters in AC Data and Moodle
AC Data is the system of record for the college and is the source for official
course rosters. If a student is not on the AC Data official roster, that student is
not registered for the course and will not appear on a grade roster, nor will the
course be recorded on the student transcript.
Moodle is the learning management system for the college. Until the second
month of a semester, Moodle rosters may include: students officially registered
for the course, Five-College students attempting to register for the course, and
Amherst students who have placed a course on their preferred course list but
have not officially registered for the course. Students not officially registered in
the course will have a petition/petitioner notation following their name in
Moodle. Petition/petitioner status allows the student temporary access to
course information posted on Moodle.
By the second month of a semester, all petitioners and other individuals who
have not been officially registered are removed from Moodle rosters. The
process of removing Moodle access for students not officially registered occurs
after add/drop to allow Five-College students have access to course materials
while the registration process is under way between consortium institutions. In
addition, the college allows time for students with various types of holds on
their accounts (financial, health, etc.) to view course information while they are
being advised and assisted through a hold clearance process. The petitioner
status on Moodle allows students access to course work while they resolve
holds.
Those seeking to audit a course at Amherst must obtain the permission of the
faculty member teaching the course. The decision to accept an auditor rests
solely with the faculty member, who will define and communicate the ways in
which the auditor may participate in the course. All auditors must adhere to the
standards of the college.
-6-Course Registration
Amherst College students register for courses at two points in the semester, pre-
registration and add/drop.
The complete four-week registration timeline is as follows; specific dates for
this timeline are available on the website of the Office of the Registrar:
• Advising Week: Students should meet with advisors to discuss
academic goals and schedule preparation for upcoming terms during
this week. Advisors approve course selections with students during this
time. Course registration approval is given via AC Data. Email approval
can only be used for Five College course registration.
• Pre-Registration Week One: Students submit their advisor approved
course selections in AC Data.
• Roster Management Week: Instructors with an over-enrolled capped
course following pre-registration are asked to cut their class rosters to a
number greater than or equal to their approved cap by the fifth business
day following pre-registration. While faculty are not required to reduce
class rosters, students remaining on the roster at the end of the second
registration period are guaranteed enrollment (subject to meeting
prerequisites and attendance during the first day of class).
• Second Round Registration Week: Advisor course approvals remain
in place from pre-registration, but advisors may need to approve
additional substitute courses so that students can complete the
registration process if they have changed course selections or been
removed from courses after roster management week.
o Capped courses at or below their cap following pre-registration
have their caps enforced automatically by the registration system
in the second round. Nevertheless, an instructor can always add
students beyond the cap or by utilizing the “Convert course to
Instructor Permission” in AC Data. (This tool is only available if
the course has reached the cap).
o A student remaining on a roster at the end of the second
registration period is guaranteed enrollment in the course
(barring unforeseen circumstances such as lack of available
classroom space or equipment), provided the student attends the
first class during add/drop (or submits an excuse from a class
dean) and has satisfied any pre-requisites or grade requirements
for the course.
• Add/Drop Period: At the start of each semester, students can make
further changes to their course registration as necessary. Faculty may
also add students to courses during this time (room capacity permitting).
All students must be registered for a full course load of four, or four--
and-one half courses, or four-and-two-half courses, by the end of the
add/drop period.
-7-• Five College Registration: Five-College students participate in the pre-
registration process based on their home institutions registration dates.
Following the second round of registration, Five-College students
remaining on the roster are not guaranteed enrollment.
• January Term 2022: Students are permitted to enroll in one course
during the January term. Students should expect their enrollment in this
course to be a full-time commitment. January courses may be offered as
either in person or remote. More details on the enrollment period for
January 2022 will be announced early in fall 2021.
Registration Requirements for Students
All special permission forms must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs
by the end of the business day on the last day of add/drop.
All students (with the exception of Independent Scholars and those on a
reduced course load) are required to register for four full courses each semester.
Students may elect one or two additional half courses in addition to the normal
program and do not require special permission.
Half Courses
Changes to the half-course policy were instituted with the pre-registration period in
spring 2019. Students are still required to fill out and submit the permission
form in order to take 3.5 courses following a previous semester of 4.5 classes, but
the combination of half-courses has changed. Students may now match half course
music lessons, theater and dance courses, as well as some science labs, as
described below. The policy remains that two half-course language sections can be
count as one course, as long as they are the same language. Students who are music
majors must take matching half-course music classes in order to count as a full
course. Questions regarding music major requirements should be directed to the
music department and will require use of the permission form.
Additionally, because more departments have agreed to match half-courses,
students may take three full courses and two half-courses with permission of their
class dean and advisor using the permission form noted above. Only two sets of
half-courses (the equivalent of two full courses) may count toward the total
thirty-two courses required for graduation.
Students may take more than four half-courses, but they won't count as part of their
overall course totals. Students must finish their degree requirements with a
minimum of thirty-one classes (with their class dean's and registrar's approval)
which can be a combination of twenty-nine or thirty full classes, and four half
classes.
-8-The biology, chemistry, and physics, and astronomy departments offer some
laboratory courses for half-course credit, when taken concurrently with the main
lecture offering. Students should plan on registering for one-and-one-half courses
for these lectures with lab. The biology and chemistry departments will match all
of the following half- courses in any combination except in the first semester of a
student’s first year: BIOL-181L, BIOL-191L, CHEM-151L, CHEM-155L,
CHEM-161L, CHEM-165L, CHEM-221L, CHEM-231L, and any half-courses
offered by departments that permit them to be matched with biology and chemistry
half-course labs. The physics and astronomy department will give half-course
credit for the following laboratory courses: PHYS-116L, PHYS-117L, PHYS-
123L, PHYS-124L and PHYS-125L as well as ASTR-200L.
Students may elect one or two half-courses in addition to four full courses at their
discretion and without additional permission of the class dean. All students wishing
to register for four full courses and two half-courses should contact the Office of
the Registrar with their request as, at this time; AC Data will not allow students to
make this change through the online program.
More information on half-courses can be found in the Amherst College Catalog.
Course Overload
Students who wish to take more than four-and-two-half courses in a semester
must have a strong academic record and obtain written permission of the
advisor and class dean in order to register for this course overload. First-
semester students do not have an Amherst record and therefore cannot take an
overload. If a first-year student wishes to pursue more than four and-one-half
courses, the dean of new students must submit written permission for this
exception. Generally, first-year students are not advised to register for a course
overload in the first term.
Other students who need to make up a deficiency and who do not have a strong
academic record should discuss other options with their class dean.
Reduced Course Load
In consultation with their class dean and the Office of Accessibility Services,
some students are able to register for a reduced course load. Generally, students
will take three courses in a semester. For more information, faculty should
consult with the Office of Accessibility Services
(https://www.amherst.edu/mm/64992).
-9-Five-College Registration
Amherst College students may not register for Five College courses during
their first semester at the college. Upon the start of the second semester,
students may take up to two Five-College courses per semester. Exceptions are
made for students who are pursuing a Five-College major and must take
particular courses that would not be available in another term, upon receiving
written permission from the major advisor and class dean. First-year and
transfer students should be advised to wait until their second semester or later
to take Five-College courses.
Students register for Five-College courses via the following process:
• Enter a Five College placeholder on AC Data so the advisor and
registrar know that the student is planning to take a Five-College
course. Placeholders are one of the following:
o UM_COURSE_REG (University of Massachusetts Course)
o SC_COURSE_ REG (Smith College Course)
o MC_COURSE_REG (Mt. Holyoke College Course)
o HC_COURSE_REG (Hampshire College Course)
• Enter information on the online Five College Course Request Form.
This allows the registrar to send documentation to the other
Five-College registrars.
• Submit the Five College permission form to the registrar with instructor
and advisor signatures. This shows permissions are granted for a
particular course. Only liberal arts courses are accepted for Five College
registration.
Course Withdrawal
Students are generally expected to complete thirty-two courses and eight
semesters in residence in order to be awarded the bachelor of arts degree.
Students who have matriculated as first years may fail or drop a course
(withdrawal) without penalty (“W”) during the first three years and may
graduate with thirty-one courses. Students must follow guidelines for exhibiting
attempts at progress, as determined by the class dean, and should be advised to
meet with the class dean before the sixth week of the semester. In most cases,
withdrawal will be allowed only if the student is failing the course, despite
following the plan worked out in consultation with the class dean.
Transfer students must complete thirty-two full semester courses or their
equivalent, at least sixteen of them at Amherst, and at least four semesters of
residence at Amherst. However, a transfer student may withdraw from a course
without penalty once and graduate with thirty-one courses, as long as that
withdrawal is not during their senior year at the college.
Any student withdrawing or failing a course in the final year will have to make
up this deficiency at another institution. Courses must be taken at an accredited
higher education institution in the United States and taught in-person. No
- 10 -online or hybrid courses will be accepted for transfer credit. International
students may be able to take courses outside of the United States in consultation
with their class dean. Students should contact the Office of the Registrar for
pre-approval of transfer credit before registering for any transfer course.
Degree Requirements
The bachelor of arts degree is awarded to students who:
• Complete thirty-two full semester courses or the equivalent and four
years (eight semesters) of residence.
o Transfer students must complete thirty-two full courses or the
equivalent, at least sixteen of which are at Amherst, and must be
in residence at Amherst for at least two years (four semesters).
o All students who have withdrawn from or failed a course during
any semester except their last two (final year) shall be allowed to
graduate with thirty-one full courses or the equivalent, provided
that they have met the residence requirement. Transfer students
must also have completed at least fifteen full courses or the
equivalent in-residence at Amherst.
o Students enrolled during any part of the 2020–2021 academic
year will be permitted to graduate with the equivalent of thirty
courses, due to reduced course load expectations during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
• Complete the requirements for a major in a department or a group of
departments, including a satisfactory performance in the comprehensive
evaluation.
• Attain a general average of C- (1.67) in the courses completed at
Amherst and earn a grade of at least C in every course completed at
another institution for transfer credit to Amherst.
Major Declaration
Liberal arts education seeks to develop the student’s awareness and
understanding of the individual and of the world’s physical and social
environments. If one essential object in the design of education at Amherst is
breadth of understanding, another purpose, equally important, is mastery of one
or more areas of knowledge in depth. Juniors and seniors are required to
concentrate their studies by pursuing a major. Majors allow students to gain
specific knowledge of a field and its special concerns, and to master and
appreciate the skills needed in that disciplined effort.
- 11 -Major Requirements
A major normally consists of at least eight courses pursued under the direction
of a department or special group. Students may change their majors at any time,
provided that they will be able to complete the new program before graduation.
Students must declare their major by the last day of classes of their second
semester sophomore year.
Students may complete the requirement of at least eight courses within one
department. They must complete at least six courses within one department and
the remaining two courses in related fields approved by the department.
Some students may wish to declare a major in more than one department or
program. This curricular option is available, although it entails special
responsibilities. At Amherst, departments are solely responsible for defining the
content and structure of an acceptable program of study for majors. Students
who elect a double or triple major must present the signatures of all academic
advisors when registering for each semester’s courses and they must, of course,
fulfill the graduation requirements and comprehensive examinations established
by each of the academic programs. In addition, double or multiple majors may
not credit courses approved for either major toward the other without the
explicit consent of an announced departmental policy or the signature of a
departmental chairperson. In their senior year, students with a double or
multiple majors must verify their approved courses with both academic
advisors before registering for their last semester at the College.
Interdisciplinary Majors
Students who would like to construct an interdisciplinary major must submit a
proposed program, endorsed by one or more professors from each of the
departments or programs concerned, to the Committee on Academic Standing
and Special Majors. Under ordinary circumstances, the proposal is submitted
no later than the seventh week of the first semester of the junior year. The
program will include a minimum of six upper-level courses and a thesis plan.
The Committee on Academic Standing and Special Majors authorizes the
appointment of an ad hoc advisory committee of three professors, which will
approve any possible modifications in the program, administer an appropriate
comprehensive examination, review the thesis, and make recommendations for
the degree with or without honors. Information on proposing interdisciplinary
programs is available in the Office of Student Affairs.
Comprehensive Exams
A part of the major requirement in every department is an evaluation of the
student’s comprehension in the major field of study. This evaluation may be
based on a special written examination or upon any other performance deemed
appropriate by each department. The mode of the evaluation need not be the
same for all the majors within a department, and, indeed, may be designed
individually to test the skills each student has developed.
- 12 -The comprehensive exam or project should be completed by the seventh week
of the second semester of the senior year. Any student whose comprehension is
judged to be inadequate will have two opportunities for reevaluation: one not
later than the last day of classes of the second semester of the senior year, and
the other during the next college year. Notification of completion of
comprehensive exams must be sent to the Office of the Registrar for inclusion
on a student’s transcript.
Degree with Honors
Latin honors are awarded to students completing a thesis within their major
department or program, depending on the major department’s recommendation
and the student’s graduating cumulative average. English honors are awarded to
students solely on the basis of performance in course work. The awarding of
both Latin and English honors is made by the faculty of the college and will
appear on the diploma.
The following guidelines have been voted on by the faculty regarding awarding
degrees with honors:
Latin Honors
• Candidates eligible for the degree summa cum laude must have a
minimum overall grade point average in the top 25 percent of their class
and have received a recommendation of summa based on a thesis or
comparable work from a department or program in which they have
majored. In addition, the theses of candidates for the degree summa cum
laude are reviewed by the Committee of Six, which will transmit its
recommendation to the faculty. Candidates also have their entire records
reviewed by the provost and dean of the faculty and the Committee of
Six, which will transmit its recommendations to the faculty.
• Candidates eligible for the degree magna cum laude must have a
minimum overall grade point average in the top 25 percent of their class
and have received a recommendation of magna based on a thesis or
comparable work from a department or program in which they have
majored. Although each department or program may define additional
criteria upon which it will base its recommendation, the candidate must
submit a thesis or comparable work that is judged by the department or
program to be of magna quality. Candidates will also qualify for the
degree magna cum laude if they have been recommended for summa
cum laude and are in the top 40 percent but not the top 25 percent of
their class and have otherwise met the requirements for the degree
summa cum laude.
• Candidates eligible for the degree cum laude must have received a
recommendation of cum based on a thesis or comparable work from a
department or program in which they have majored. Although each
- 13 -department or program may define additional criteria upon which it will
base its recommendation, the candidate must submit a thesis or
comparable work that is judged by the department or program to be of
cum quality. Students recommended for summa sum laude who are not
in the top 40 percent of their class will graduate cum laude. Student
recommended for magna cum laude who are not in the top 25 percent of
their class will graduate cum laude.
English Honors - Graduation with Distinction
Candidates eligible for a degree with Distinction must have an overall grade
point average in the top 25 percent of their class.
The registrar must have all senior grades in hand by the senior grade deadline
in order to calculate honors. Grades for students in the “E” graduating class are
also required by the senior grading deadline so that the registrar may clear
students for early participation in commencement.
Participation in Commencement Exercises
Participation in commencement exercises is limited to those who either (1)
have completed all graduation requirements and whose degree will be voted by
the faculty and the board of trustees; or (2) are within four courses (sixteen
credits) of the total required for graduation, have no disciplinary violations, and
are a member of the current graduating class, any prior class, or the subsequent
graduating “E” class.
Students who wish to participate in commencement early must complete an
application to do so. Additional details on early participation at commencement
may be found on the Registrar’s webpage
(https://www.amherst.edu/mm/494185).
Once permission is granted, these students will not be eligible to participate in
any other future commencement exercises, and they will receive their diplomas
and official transcripts recording completion of the degree only after all degree
requirements have been satisfied and the degree voted by the faculty and the
Board of Trustees.
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